The Fish in the Pond
by DwarfRunner
Summary: My fun take on what happens post Moebius II at the end of season 8. there are so many hints in seasons 9 and 10 that I couldn't resist going back to see where it starts (; [S/J!]
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 isn't mine, I'm just borrowing it for my own funsies.

Post Moebius Part II [end season 8]

Any reviews appreciated. I'm shameless, I know (= [s/j!]

I'm also a shameless Sam/Jack shipper.

#sorrynotsorry

Enjoy, friends!

Xoxoxoxo

So they'd saved the earth and apparently the timeline has been repaired. Again.

And finally, at long last, Jack's team was coming to his cabin for fishing. All three of them, his favorite people in the universe.

Jack found himself humming even as he flipped on his favorite classical music station on the enormous radio on his back deck. It always surprised people that he liked classical. He found it soothing; and it kept them guessing about him. He liked rhat too. Smoke rose from the barbecue as he poked and prodded at the steaks.

"Hellooo?" His absolute favorite person called as she rounded the side of the house.

"Come on back, Carter!" Jack called out, not bothering to temper the grin that had spread across his face at hearing her voice. He took a swig of his beer and then held it up in greeting to her. "Have lunch yet?"

"Oh, uh, no... sir," she said hesitantly, eyeing the very well done meat dubiously. He snorted in reponse.

"You can put that in the fridge till Danny and T get here," he added, nodding to the Tupperware she carried. "And help youself to any drink you want."

"Thank you, sir," she said with a brilliant smile. "I will."

She nodded and headed in through the open back door. Jack twisted the tongs nervously in one hand for a moment. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so nervous. Maybe when the head-sucking Ancient head-sucker had sucked his head and he thought he was going to die for real this time? No. This was more nerve-wracking.

But at last, this was his chance.

Jack dropped the tongs and abandoned his beer and hurried in after her. She had just grabbed a beer and settled the container into the fridge when he walked in. She turned.

"Sir!" She said with a slight jump. "I didn't even hear you. She deftly popped the lid off her beer and took a quick sip of it, watching him.

Jack stood frozen on the spot watching her in return. Her eyes flicked away, then back to him.

"Colonel... is everything okay?"

"Jack," he said stupidly. Her lips parted slightly in surprise and question.

"Sorry?" She asked, uncomprehending.

"Carter - Samantha," he said with a wicked grin. For such a genius, it seemed to take her forever to grasp some things. Again, the questioning eye flick away and back, as though seeking an answer to why her CO had just gone wacko. "I have to tell you-"

"Hello!? Jack! Sam?" Daniel called out from somewhere between the front and side doors. "We're here!"

D'oh!

Jack was going to murder his friend; he knew plenty of places in the galaxy he could dispose of the body, too. Daniel had the worst possible timing in the history of the universe.

xoxoxoxo


	2. Chapter 2

The Fish in the Pond Part II

Disclaimer: Again, Stargate isn't mine yada yada yada

Post Moebius Part II [End Season 8]

My fun take on what happens post Moebius II at the end of season 8. there are so many hints in seasons 9 and 10 that I couldn't resist going back to see where it starts (;

Thanks for the reviews! You guys made my day.

I could be like one of those people who just postpones putting out more of their fic just to build anticipation... but I won't (: Also, I have no life and I love doing this hahahaha

Any reviews welcome, thank you!

[Sam and Jack FOREVER! 3 ]

 **xoxoxoxxoxoxoxo**

 _"Carter- Samantha...I have to tell you-"_

 _"Hello!? Jack! Sam?" Daniel called out from somewhere between the front and side doors. "We're here!"_

 _D'oh!_

 _Jack was going to murder his friend; he knew plenty of places in the galaxy he could dispose of the body, too. Daniel had the worst possible timing in the history of the universe._

 **xoxo**

Jack almost growled in frustration but just as quickly as he felt his own frustration flash across his face, he replaced it with a grin; well, more of a painful grimace. Carter still watched him in obvious confusion, wondering if he'd lost his mind at last, no doubt.

"Jack!?"

"Daniel!" Jack called back, then rolled his eyes and strolled out onto his back porch. Daniel and T'ealc stood there with drinks and T appeared to have brought a salad. Salad. That Jaffa and his crazy eating habits.

"Jack, where's Sam?" Daniel asked, he gestured toward the driveway to indicate Sam's car.

"She's grabbing a beer," Carter answered, squeezing past Jack to stand on the wide deck.

"Ah, well, good thing I brought more," Daniel said with a laugh, holding up his offering of two six packs.

"Daniel," Jack threw in, "You get drunk on half a bottle."

"I have also brought a beverage," T'ealc added helpfully, holding up a two liter of ginger ale Jack hadn't noticed past the salad container.

"Indeed," Carter said with a laugh. Daniel laughed while T'ealc raised an eyebrow, bemused at his Tauri friends.

Carter moved down the deck to grab a chair and promptly plopped herself into it. Daniel set down his beers and took one to go join her on another. T'ealc disappeared into the kitchen and came back moments later with an enormous glass for his ginger ale Jack kept just for him.

Carter and Daniel settled into a comfortable, quiet debate about the Ancients while T'ealc stood beside them, occasionally commenting, but mostly sipping his ginger ale.

Jack sighed contentedly. This is what he'd always wanted; if he had just acted faster before Daniel and T had come, though. Damn.

At last, Jack had seen a way forward for everything he wanted, well almost. He'd have to be away from his cabin and fishing far, far too much. But he dared to hope it would be worth it.

Jack stared down at the meat, absently turning it with the tongs, not really focusing on anything but thoughts of Carter and how to broach the subject they'd been dancing around from almost the day they'd met. He definitely couldn't do it with Danny and T there. Too bad this was supposed to be a whole weekend together. He kept stealing glances at Carter as he watched his old team together. No other woman in the whole damn galaxy was quite like her.

After a great lunch of steaks and salad, at last, at long last, he and Carter had a moment alone. Daniel and T'ealc had disappeared to grab the cooler for their drinks. Another chance. Jack turned abruptly to Carter. She paused in setting up her lawn chair on the deck.

"Sir?" she asked. She had to know something was going on; genius that she was. How could Jack have ever thought he didn't like scientists?

"Carter," he said with a quick grin. Jack settled his own chair and took a hesitant step closer to her. She gazed back at him, blue eyes confused. Those beautiful blue eyes. "Carter, I have to tell you something."

"Yes, sir?" she asked, stepping around her chair, closing the distance between them. That was good, right? That was how this was supposed to work, wasn't it? Jack's mind rambled on at light speed and he struggled for a moment to reassert his thought process.

"I wanted you to be the first to know," he began. He watched her face change, ever so subtly; he could see the defenses go back up. No, no, no, no, no! He'd done it wrong. Damn. "No, Carter-" habit made her last name jump from his mouth before he could stop it. Damn. Wrong again. She took a step back.

"To know what, sir?" she asked, now moving away to grab the fishing pole he had brought out for her.

"I'm being reassigned," Jack said quickly. He had to find a way to salvage this. Carter froze, turning back to face him, still gripping the fishing pole.

"Me too," she replied. They stared, dumbfounded at each other, neither daring to breathe for a moment. "Area 51. I asked for it," she added. Carter watched him carefully. Jack moved around their chairs, closing all space between them.

"Samantha," he said softly. He hesitated briefly then gently took hold of her shoulder and stared down into her glorious eyes. "I'm being sent to DC, homeworld security."

"Oh, that's great- sir," she said slowly. This genius woman could be so thick sometimes. Personal space down to zero. First name. Not her CO anymore. Come one. It was so hard though, for both of them. They'd avoided it for so long; Jack would never, ever ask her to give up her career for him. But here they were at last. The slimey snakes all but defeated, the Replicators gone... "Are you saying-"

"JAAACK! WHERE DID YOU SAY IT WAS!?" Daniel shouted from the front of the house.

Torture. Torture first, then murder, Jack decided. Hadn't SG-24 found a cache of Goa'ould weapons on P4S-579 recently? He was positive there had been a torture stick included in the pile. Yes, definitely torture first. Heck, he could even drop Daniel's body in the lake here. It's not like there were any fish to disturb it or churn up any evidence.

 **xoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Fish in the Pond Part III**

Disclaimer: Again, Stargate isn't mine etc, etc, etc

Post Moebius Part II [End Season 8]

My fun take on what happens post Moebius II at the end of season 8. there are so many hints in seasons 9 and 10 that I couldn't resist going back to see where it starts (;

I am having so much fun writing this. Thanks for the reviews guys! I adore you 3

[Sam and Jack FOREVER! 3 ]

 **xoxoxoxxoxoxo**

"" _Oh, that's great- sir," she said slowly. "Are you saying-"_

" _JAAACK! WHERE DID YOU SAY IT WAS!?" Daniel shouted from the front of the house._

 _Torture. Torture first, then murder, Jack decided. Hadn't SG-24 found a cache of Goa'ould weapons on P4S-579 recently? He was positive there had been a torture stick included in the pile. Yes, definitely torture first. Heck, he could even drop Daniel's body in the lake here. It's not like there were any fish to disturb it or churn up any evidence._

 **xoxo**

"Can I shoot him?" Jack asked softly to himself. Carter laughed.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, sir," she whispered back. Jack let his hand fall away from Carter as he walked to the top of the dock.

"IT'S NEXT TO THE TABLE SAW!" shouted Jack. He rolled his eyes and strode back to Carter. That ought to buy them some time. He stopped in front of her, he was so bad with words. Give him something to shoot or destroy or heck, even build, that was fine. He had built his deck for cryin' out loud. She needed to have words though. The physical was all obvious; they'd even kissed before. Although, one of them had usually been under the influence of something or other. A virus, a time loop, a hallucination- Danny-boy had filled him in on _that_ one, and he'd said _excuse me_ , like a prick when she woke up and said his name... " _Samantha_ , what I'm saying is that - remember our first mission to Abydos?"

"Yes... Jack," she said slowly. So he picked the most roundabout way to tell her. Good job. Gold star for stupidity, Jack thought to himself.

"You said I'd like you once I got to know you," he whispered, stepping right up into her personal space again.

"Yes, and?" she prompted. Couldn't she throw him a bone here?

"This is so hard, gah," Jack finished with a grimace. He paused and took one of her hands in his. "Samantha, the president won't let me retire just yet. Said he needs me- which is crazy- but I can't retire yet. And I would never, ever in a million years want you to, or ask you to retire. Look, what I'm trying to say, is that... I still care about you... a lot more than I'm supposed to. I always have."

T'ealc assisted Daniel Jackson with a large box known as a "cooler". Daniel Jackson had explained in his usual quick-paced manner exactly the function of this device. One poured in ice, and then settled beverages or foods needing to be kept cold. T'ealc could not fathom why they simply could not just walk into O'Neill's kitchen to retrieve refreshments as needed. The Tauri could be so odd sometimes; O'Neill had insisted it was an essential part of fishing. Daniel Jackson had found several disposable plates and napkins and other odds and ends and stacked them atop the cooler. The cooler full and properly balanced now, T'ealc took one end and Daniel Jackson took the other.

They moved off steadily around the side of O'Neill's cabin, T'ealc leading the way. T'ealc, as always, had all sense on high alert. He found it odd that after O'Neill had shouted, he could suddenly no longer hear anything happening in the yard behind O'Neill's cabin. T'ealc slowed his pace, listening for trouble. Instead he just barely heard, "- a lot more than I'm supposed to. I always have." T'ealc froze. He had known something to be amiss all day. O'Neill had been acting strangely; well, much more strangely than normal.

"T'ealc, what'cha doing?" Daniel Jackson asked, colliding with the cooler and T'ealc due to the latter's abrupt halt. The confused doctor pushed his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose with a slight hiccup. Daniel Jackson had consumed a great deal of alcohol; T'ealc's young friend had an exceptionally low tolerance for the substance.

"Hold a moment, Daniel Jackson," T'ealc whispered, holding up the Tauri battle hand signal for a "halt". Then T'ealc set down his end of the cooler, Daniel Jackson quickly following suit.

"T'ealc-" Daniel Jackson tried to speak again. T'ealc turned abruptly and pushed Daniel Jackson against the wall of O'Neill's house, a hand over the doctor's mouth.

"I believe that this is the moment for which we have been waiting for many years, Daniel Jackson," whispered T'ealc. Daniel Jackson stared back at him quizzically; clearly his inebriated friend's typically brilliant mind was not functioning as efficiently as it usually did. "For O'Neill to at last profess his love to Colonel Carter."

Daniel Jackson's eyes grew wide behind his glasses and T'ealc finally let him go.

"Oh, so shhhhhh," Daniel Jackson whispered loudly, a finger pressed to his lips. T'ealc bowed his head in acknowledgment.

"Always... Jack?" Carter whispered.

"Always," he replied. He gently and very hesitantly cupped her face with his free hand. Was this really happening? Really? At last? She would finally be out of his line of command; finally. And mercifully, Danny and T seemed to have gotten lost with the cooler. Jack suddenly grinned down at Samantha- _his_ Samantha at last. And he was her Jack. How many alternate realities had they run into when the two of them were together? How many times had their memories been altered or changed and they'd found each other? Jack didn't know if he believed in much, but a tiny part of him said they he and Sam belonged together. He couldn't fathom how he could possibly deserve this woman, but he loved her and she seemed to want him. And here she was, smiling back at him. "I don't know how we can make it work, Samantha, but I promise if you want this, I will do everything I can to make it work."

"And do _you_ want this, Jack?" she asked.

"Yes," Jack replied. And there it was, her gorgeous blue eyes shining with happiness. "More than pie."

Sam laughed out loud at that. Then she gave him a wicked grin and seized his face and kissed him hungrily. Jack responded in kind. Her hands were in his hair and his were all over her. She really did have a nice six. He didn't know how long they stood like that, making out on his dock over the lake, before he became aware of T'ealc saying loudly, "Daniel Jackson! We forgot the disposable forks to go with Colonel Carter's dessert!"

Sam giggled right into Jack's mouth and he busted up laughing.

"No giggling, _Colonel_ ," Jack gasped as he bent over, trying to get his laughter under control.

"Ha ha ha, yes, sir!" she giggled, and snorted! That just made Jack laugh harder. "Was it.. ha ha.. your sidearm!?" That did them both in and they all but collapsed in uncontrollable giggles. Jack O'Neill giggled helplessly as memories of Antarctica surfaced. Memories of other missions, conserving body heat, alien viruses, Sam's face just before the Ancients' stasis pod had activated, Jack's own relief at finding her after Anubis' supersoldiers had destroyed the Alpha site... finally, after several minutes, they managed to get themselves under control. Sam let out a final snort. They knelt together for another moment and once more, Jack reached out and took Sam's face in one hand and very tenderly kissed her lips again. He would savor that taste for the rest of his life.

With reluctance he got to his feet and then helped Sam to stand. "C'mon, we should at least pretend to be normal," he said. "We can fill them in on all this later."

Sam asked, "Later?"

"Sam, please understand," he said, glancing quickly toward his cabin. "I don't ever, ever want anyone to question how you got to be where you are or why... anything about your career. Ever. At all. You got where you are because you deserve it and you've worked damn hard for it. I - care about you and I don't want people to-"

"Jack, they're always going to talk," interrupted Sam. "But - Thank you. I'm fine with whatever you're... fine with. It might be best too, if people weren't assuming things about... us. You. Me."

Jack raised an eyebrow but laughed. He knew her angle; people might think that he, her CO was taking advantage of a younger officer. It happened far too often, despite regulations and rules.

"Excellent," Jack said, "As long as we're in agreement."

"Absolutely," she said with another megawatt, heart-stopping grin. Then she gave him one last quick peck and they separated to their individual chairs on the deck. If Danny or T noticed that the two of them had their chairs pulled much closer than typical regulation-regarding CO and subordinate usually did, they made no comment.

"This is great," Sam said as Daniel and T'ealc finally came back with the cooler, Sam's dessert and plenty of disposable forks and plates for all.

"Right?" Jack said, fiddling with his fishing line. "I've been saying that for ages!"

"We should have done this years ago," added Sam with a grin. She frowned a little in concentration as she cast her line out. All of a sudden, something splashed out of the water and landed back in the water. Sam and Jack glanced at each other. "I thought the tape said there are no fish here...?"

Jack shrugged; "Eh. Close enough."

 **xoxoxoxo**

 **Finished.**

Thanks for reading, friends!

Any reviews appreciated (:  
Love, dwarfRunner


End file.
